This invention is directed to auxiliary lens devices and more particularly to a surface mounted lens device that is held in place by suction.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,796,987 for Digital Display for Head Mounted Protection shows goggles such as used by a swimmer, with a primary transparent lens for general viewing and a smaller auxiliary lens bonded to the primary lens. The auxiliary lens, which is bonded to an interior surface of the primary lens, focuses on a miniature digital stopwatch bonded to an exterior surface of the primary lens. Thus a swimmer, while wearing the goggles, is enabled to keep track of his or her elapsed time during swimming. Since the auxiliary lens and the stopwatch are bonded to the primary lens, it is not feasible to reposition the lens and stopwatch or remove these items for relocation onto another set of goggles.
Jewelers and watchmakers are known to use an auxiliary lens device such as an eye loupe by itself or in combination with head frames for magnification of a gemstone or the inner workings of a watch. If an individual has need to wear eyeglasses or other head mounted visual device such as goggles for eye protection, it may be cumbersome to wear another head mounted auxiliary viewing device such as the eye loupe. Use of binoculars, telescopes and magnifying glasses can also be inconvenient when the user already wears glasses and the need for such auxiliary lens device is frequent and intermittent.
It is thus desirable to provide an auxiliary lens device that can be detachably mounted onto a smooth surface such as eyeglasses or a face shield to provide a desired magnification or telescopic viewing of an object.